RootsChat.Com

Thanks for your understanding Boo.  I will bear in mind what the original poster said if I make future posts - I just originally thought that a more narrative text was somehow more friendly.  I do get the point though.

Jim

I wonder if anyone could please help with something of a conundrum involving the parentage of my great great grandmother Hannah Charlton?  She married Jeremiah Westgarth in Weardale, Durham in August 1864, her residence on the marriage certificate shown as Rise Green, Allendale. Her father is Joseph Charlton, a lead miner.  Her age is shown as 20, although I suspect she was just 18.  Jeremiah is shown aged 27, residence Boltsburn, Stanhope, Durham.

Tragically, Hannah died just two years later, in 1866, of typhus fever, thankfully not before giving birth to my great grandmother Mary Westgarth, otherwise I would not be here!

I have located her 1851 census entry (ref. HO107/2415/104/5) with father Joseph and mother Mary, living in the wonderfully named Dirt Pot in Allendale.  (Joseph had married Mary Price in 1846). Hannah had siblings Mary Ann and John, all born in Allendale.  Now, this is where it starts to get interesting!  A search on the GRO index reveals that the above two siblings' mother had maiden name of Price which of course fits in.  However, the only likely-looking Hannah Charlton registered in the Hexham Union district which covers Allendale has maiden name of Stobbs.  Anyway, regardless, yesterday I ordered a PDF of that birth certificate from GRO.  Since then, I did a search on the 1861 census and came across another Hannah Charlton, born around 1846, living in Allendale (ref. RG09/3861/20/3) with father Thomas and mother Hannah.  And guess what?  A Thomas Charlton did marry a Hannah Stobbs!  So, either there are two Hannah Charltons born around the same time in Allendale or she has swapped parents!  Her father (?) Joseph's 1861 census (ref. RG09/3861/23/9), shows the family still in Allendale.  John is still there together with a number of other siblings born since the last census, all to Price.

Incidentally, one of the siblings on Joseph's 1861 census is Rebecca.  I mention this because she later married a John Gardiner, and a Thomas Gardiner was the informant named on Hannah's death certificate, although no relationship is shown.

Sorry this has been so long-winded, but I wanted to try and convey the convoluted facts of this family.  If anyone else has been investigating the Charlton family, I would be delighted to hear from them.  In the meanwhile. I will continue to unpick some of the tangles.

Thanks for that, Roger.  I will look into those and see if anything can be made of them.  Unfortunately I am plagued with unconnected Smiths in my tree which can be a nightmare!

Kind regards,

Jim

I have attached an extract from a 1911 Scottish census and I am interested in the occupation shown on row 33 for Margaret Henderson.  I can make out the "mangle" bit which probably should be "mangler" as occupation code 040 refers to wash-house occupations.  I am puzzling over what precedes it.  It looks a bit like "shop-house" which doesn't make sense, and you will note that she works from home, presumably taking in washing and putting it through the mangle.  (I bet she had big muscles  )

Any help deciphering this occupation gratefully received.

I wonder if someone could interpret the occupation of James Hogarth on this Scottish Old Parish Register entry from 1823.  On these records, the name is always directly followed by the father's occupation but I'm blowed if I can work this one out!!   Any help greatly appreciated.